Nominating Holy Women Icons by Angela Yarber

When I began the academic study of religion in 1999, I was struck by the pantheon of male saints, venerated, honored, painted, adored, perhaps even worshipped. From virtually every tradition, men reigned supreme—in leadership, iconography, decision-making, worship—which is one of the myriad reasons groups like Feminism and Religion must exist. To combat this oppressive supremacy.

In 2010, I decided to put my wonder and this patriarchal dis-ease on canvas. I painted a triptych of Sophia, the feminine Greek word for wisdom often understood as the feminine face of Jesus, for a group triptych exhibition. Inspired stylistically by the art of Shiloh Sophia McCloud and He Qi, I endeavored to give traditional iconography a folk twist in an attempt to make it more accessible, perhaps a bit less brooding and intimidating. Emboldened by the works of womanist and feminist scholars in religion, my icons aim to subvert traditional—and often patriarchal—depictions of a virtually all-male sainthood. Though there are surely some women depicted Catholic and Orthodox iconography, and a robust number of women and goddesses in Hindu iconography, I found myself at a loss when it came to positive, affirming, and empowering icons of women across the vast spectrum of religious and spiritual traditions.

Along the way, I canonized many of these painted saints in writing, publishing Holy Women Iconsas a book that includes full color images of each icon, accompanied by an essay describing her. Soon after came greeting cards and prints. Then Holy Women Icons Contemplative Coloring Bookwas published earlier this year. Along the way, the icons toured the country, finding homes in galleries, churches, houses, offices, and seminaries. In painting, writing about, preaching about, teaching about, and leading worship and retreats about these revolutionary and subversive women, the Holy Women Icons Project became more than a painting exhibition, or book, or coloring book, or sermon, or worship service, or retreat, or Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies undergraduate course. As I sold the final paintings left in the collection, with only one remaining (Anna Julia Cooper), I realized that the Holy Women Icons Project has become my vocation. Painting, researching, writing, teaching, and preaching about these intrepid women is what I want to do for the rest of my life!

But there are so many more left to paint, research, create. So, I’m turning to you for inspiration. As I closed out my last Holy Women Icons show with only one original canvas left, I knew I wanted to begin the project with a slightly different medium. To the lumber yard I journeyed, intent on making future icons slightly more like traditional ones by painting them on wood. Still folk-feminist in style, the wood is cut and my paints are ready. At the top of my list is to paint a series of transwomen, including Barbara Satin and a “Holy Trans Woman Icon” archetype to try and lift up the many transwomen who are killed by violence, discrimination, and suicide. Next is another archetype to embody the Black Lives Matter mothers who have lost children to police brutality. Then are an array of Hawaiian Goddesses, queer iterations of Mary, and an assortment of Advent and Christmas Mary incarnations.

There are many more, I know, and I am eager to know them, paint them, learn from them. So, I would be love it if you would share the women you wish to call holy. Who do you nominate to join this unlikely cloud of witnesses, this motley gaggle of saints, holy women who have revolutionized, subverted, inspired, and emboldened you? Please include the name of the woman and a brief description in the comments and join me in this creation process.

As you consider what Holy Women Icons have inspired and empowered you, I invite you to also look in the mirror and see the face of one worthy saint status. For doing the intersectional feminist work of justice is no easy task, my friends. Doing this work makes you holy, indeed.

I’m a big fan of Britain’s new Prime Minister, Theresa May, she’s only the second woman to hold the job, and also I’ve listened to some of her speeches and they are outstanding — she is called a “liberal conservative,” how’s that?

I’m linking my name here to a fabulous video, which introduces Theresa May, beautifully, & also the music on the video is so totally wonderful, a real masterpiece to me.

I love this. I almost cried today thinking of looking at myself in the mirror with such honor and gratitude. Thank you for encouraging much needed self-love. I am excited about your inclusion of Gaia and Virginia Woolf.

I attended your lecture at the the UU Leeward Ohana out in Waianae at Sue’s home & bought your coloring book. I’m loving it and want another one when I finish. I would like to suggest Princess Diana. She cared so much for humanitarian causes like people with AIDS before society was ready to accept them. She was also vulnerable and honest about her own emotions and difficulties of fitting into the royal family, and I am still sad about her untimely death & would like to see her live on as one of your holy icons.